[LINK] RFID Tagging of Children

[Geoffrey Ramadan]

Richard Chirgwin wrote:
> Geoffrey Ramadan wrote:
>> Jan Whitaker wrote:
>>> Others please jump in here.
>>>
>>> At 08:36 PM 22/10/2006, Geoffrey Ramadan wrote:
>>>> Jan I am trying to understand how do you weigh up differing and 
>>>> conflicting "rights".
>>>>
>>>> Does the greater need  for safety, outweigh privacy issues?
>>>
>>> That is the choice of the individual, I reckon. I may choose to risk 
>>> 'safety' to retain an ability to travel without being surveilled. 
>>> The comparison here is a straw man because we have already agreed it 
>>> is a dumb system and wouldn't achieve the goal anyway. The bargain 
>>> is a no brainer. I won't trade my privacy for a smoke and mirrors 
>>> promise of something that won't be delivered. The exchange is 
>>> unbalanced.
>>>
>>> In other circumstances the choice must be maintained. For example, 
>>> tagging children may be acceptable to some paranoid parents. But 
>>> others would never subject their children to being cattle (e-sheep, 
>>> given the latest stories from the agriculture arena).
>>>
>>
>> If I can digress here and relay a real requirement proposed to us:
>> a) Organisation A - is running a large event with minors (mainly 
>> under 18) (no parents, only supervisors)
>> b) Organisation A - wants efficient system to ensure its duty of care 
>> obligations are met
>> In particular
>> - Ensuring all Minors go and return from various day events
>> - Ensuring "correct" parents pick up minors
>> Also, system required to
>> - Ensure food rations supplied
>> - Any special dietary requirements noted and observed
>> - Able to look up any health needs in case of emergency.
>>
>> Our customer wanted to supply RFID tags to the minors for the 
>> duration of the event.
>> Would anyone have any issues in this provided the principles outlines 
>> in:
>> http://www.privacy.gov.au/news/media/03_17.html
>> were followed?
>>
>> As a parent, would you object to this?
> I won't add to the already-detailed analysis from Karl, but from the 
> parental point of view. Tags as meal counters? - it would collapse at 
> the first mealtime:
I didn't detail it, but it is only used for the issue of initial 
rations. It purpose of course is to ensure all correct rations are 
issued, not to micro-manage meal time.

It is not used at each meal time.
>
> - "I didn't know you had to bring it!"
It would be supplied as a waterproof wristband.


> - "I don't care what your computer says, I am a vegetarian!"
> - "Are you sure there's no chilli in this?"
> - "Is that all we get?"
> ...and so on. Only a first-class idiot would try and micro-manage the 
> feeding of any large event, and the idea of tagging as the basis for 
> feeding sounds like micro-management to me...
> It makes me suspect that Organisation A has the idea that if it can 
> spend a few dollars on the technology, it can slim down the number of 
> supervisors...
It is a large logistical problem..... there are several thousand people 
involved.

Reg

Geoffrey Ramadan B.E.(Elec)
Chairman, Automatic Data Capture Association (www.adca.com.au)
and
Managing Director, Unique Micro Design (www.umd.com.au)


>
> And, still speaking as a parent, I would far rather encourage 
> self-reliance in my sons than to teach them that with enough 
> technology, you don't have to take care of yourself.
>
> RC
>>
>> Regards
>> Geoffrey Ramadan B.E.(Elec)
>> Chairman, Automatic Data Capture Association (www.adca.com.au)
>> and
>> Managing Director, Unique Micro Design (www.umd.com.au)
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